Fight Results: Experience Gives Canelo Win Over Munguia

 In an exciting Cinco de Mayo matchup of two Mexican warriors, experience gave the unified, undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez of Guadalajara (61-2-2, 39 KOs) a clear victory over Jaime Munguia of Tijuana (43-1, 34 KOs). It is the first loss for Munguia. Canelo wins the fourth defense of his unified super middleweight titles.

From the first notes of a mariachi version of the American national anthem, the fight and the atmosphere provided by the 14,792 fans at the T-Mobile Arena celebrated everything good about Mexican boxing and the Mexican spirit on boxing’s holiday in the U.S.

Canelo Alvarez parried and neutralized much of Jaime Munguia's offense. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

“This win means a lot. I’m glad that I gave him this opportunity,” said Alvarez after his victory. “Munguia is a great guy and a great champion. He’s going to have a great career. I’m very proud that all the Mexicans are here watching us.

“I know there's a lot of great Mexican fighters in the past, but I’m the best fighting right now,” added Alvarez.”

Canelo's Experience Deals Munguia His First Loss

Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia expressed their pride in staging a Cinco de Mayo fight between two Mexicans. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Few would dispute it after the champion’s performance against a determined but ultimately outthought and outworked Munguia, who conceded the point.

“I came out strong and was winning the early rounds. I let my hands go, but he’s a fighter with a lot of experience. The loss hurts because it's my first loss, and I felt strong,” said Munguia.

“There’s no doubt I would have beaten anyone else tonight. He has a lot of experience. I started well, but he’s a fighter who creates a lot of problems.”

Alvarez also succeeds through efficiency. He landed 234 of 536 total punches thrown (44%), against 170 of 563 punches thrown for Munguia (26%). In the power punching category, Alvarez landed an astonishing 50% of his punches (151 of 304), against 29% for Munguia (96 of 328). This is how Alvarez can keep up with his younger opponents.

Jaime Munguia won the early rounds with his aggression and activity. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Alvarez has a reputation as a slow starter, but that was not the case Saturday. Munguia won the first round and several of the early rounds on the scorecards, but Alvarez was engaged and willing to stand in front of Munguia and trade punches early and often. Still, Alvarez knows how to measure his effort.

“I took my time. I have a lot of experience. Munguia is a great fighter. He's strong and smart. But I have 12 rounds to win the fight and I did. I did really good, and I’m proud of it,” said Alvarez. “He’s strong, but he’s a little slow. I could see every punch. That’s why I’m the best.”

Knockdown Throwns Munguia Off His Game Plan

Canelo Alvarez scored the fight's only knockdown with a right uppercut. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Munguia threw more punches, especially in the first half of the fight, but Alvarez has dramatically improved his upper body movement and defense over the years and evaded many of the punches despite the reaction from the fans at the T-Mobile Arena.

The dramatic turning point in the fight came in the fourth round, although its impact wasn’t clear until the fight ended. Munguia caught Canelo with a hard right hook. In his eagerness to capitalize, the challenger started to unload punches and made the mistake many feared he’d make. He left himself open for a counterpunch.

Alvarez landed a perfect right uppercut on Munguia, who tumbled down hard to the canvas. Fortunately for the Tijuana fighter, it was the end of the round.

“I could have finished the fight, but I took my time. I don't want to make mistakes,” said Alvarez, who noted he has 12 rounds to get the win.

Canelo Alvarez lets his body punching set up the rest of his offensive firepower. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Later, Munguia said he was more surprised than hurt by the punch. “I was not hurt. It was a good punch, that’s it.” But Munguia added the punch not only threw him to the canvas, it threw off his game plan.

“I got desperate to try to recover that knockdown, and I start changing my game. With his experience, it got me into his game with his counterpunching,” admitted Munguia. Throughout the rest of the fight, Munguia played catchup. As Alvarez won the middle rounds by keeping Munguia off him with body shots and hard hooks, it was money in the bank.

De La Hoya: Just The Beginning For Munguia

Promoter Oscar De La Hoya had nothing but praise for the effort of his fighter. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Despite his well-known feud with Alvarez, Munguia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy, had nothing but compliments for both fighters. “I thought Jaime did excellently against the current face of boxing right now. I take nothing away from Canelo. He’s a good fighter in the ring.

“This experience will take Jaime to another level, just like Canelo against (Floyd) Mayweather. Same with Munguia. He gains experience and becomes a better fighter. This is just the beginning for Jaime,” said De La Hoya.

Canelo: “I Can Do What I Want”

Although he is repeatedly asked about fighting David Benavidez, Canelo Alvarez says he's earned the right to decide his next opponent. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

With the victory, any conversation with Canelo Alvarez immediately turns to the man many fans want him to face, David Benavidez. On Saturday at a news conference promoting his upcoming fight against Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Benavidez said he’s done at super middleweight and moving up to the light heavyweight division.

But the questions keep coming. Alvarez batted them down, saying he’s fought everyone and collected all the super middleweight belts along the way. But if the fight is to be, it will be his call and no one else’s.

“If the money is right, I can fight right now. I’ve fought everyone, and I can do what I want,” said Alvarez. At age 33, Alvarez insists he still has a passion for boxing and will continue looking for challenges.

Barrios Battles Eye Injury To Get Win Over Maidana

Mario Barrios controlled the action despite an eye injury, getting the decision over Fabian Maidana. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

It wasn’t the banger both fighters promised, but a solid victory for Mario Barrios of San Antonio (29-2, 18 KOs) over Fabian Maidana of Argentina (22-3, 16 KOs). Aided by a third-round knockdown, Barrios retains his WBC interim title with scores of 116-111 on all three cards.

The fight started swiftly, including the knockdown delivered by a clean straight right hand by Barrios. He had Maidana on the run, but he escaped any more damage.

Mario Barrios had to work around his obscured vision in the second half of the fight. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

The fight pace slowed considerably due to damage under Barrios’ right eye. His face swelled more with every round, and his eye was completely closed by the end of the fight. With Maidana fighting cautiously and picking his shots, and Barrios compromised, it was the best he could do to get the win.

“The eye was a little bit of a factor, I had to pick my shots,” admitted Barrios. “But I appreciate everyone coming out. I always leave it all in the ring.

“Maidana fought hard for 12 rounds like I expected. Once my eye started swelling up, it was hard to find my range, but we stuck to the fundamentals, tried to find openings, and came out with the victory.”

Mario Barrios will likely be elevated to full WBC welterweight champion if Terence Crawford moves to the super welterweight division. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Maidana said a lack of training time hurt his performance. “No excuses, though. I’m going to come back stronger and bring a world championship back to Argentina.”

Figueroa Stops Magdaleno in Nine Rounds

Brandon Figueroa dispatched veteran Jessie Magdaleno in nine rounds. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Just as it seemed the fight between Brandon Figueroa and Jessie Magdaleno might go the distance, it was over. Figueroa of Welasco, Texas (25-1-1, 19 KOs) drilled Magdaleno of Las Vegas (29-3, 18 KOs) with a perfect left hook to the liver, the kind a fighter doesn’t recover from.

Referee Allan Huggins counted Magdaleno out, but it was a courtesy, giving Figueroa the knockout win at 2:59 of the ninth round. Figueroa retains his WBC interim featherweight title.

"Just. Like. THAT!" @brandonleefig beats the bell in RD9 with a 💣 to the liver of Magdaleno, ending the fight by KO. #FigueroaMagdaleno

Order #CaneloMuguia on PBC PPV at @PrimeVideo NOW: https://t.co/Eo0ySuxiFd pic.twitter.com/mXLJrsycBP

— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) May 5, 2024

The fight had few other highlights as the pair ground it out, save a low blow by Figueroa and a cut suffered by Magdaleno in the first round, which wasn’t a factor in the fight outcome.

“I just had to be patient. He was blocking the body shot with his arm, but I had to wear him down to get the opening. I waited, and I got it,” said Figueroa.

Figueroa admitted he might have been a little rusty not fighting for 14 months. “Hats off to Jessie, it was a great fight. I felt very relaxed in the ring. I knew I had to jab my way in, break him down, and get that opening.”

Magdaleno said Figueroa caught him when he extended his right arm. “He threw the left hook to the body and caught me right in the liver. It just took my legs out.

“I'm more annoyed because it was such a close fight. I tried to get up with all my might, but once you're hit in the right spot, it's hard to get up.”

Magdaleno has been in many tough fights. But he came in three pounds over the featherweight limit. With two straight losses and only four fights in the last four years, the 34-year-old may be at the end of a solid pro career.

Welcome Back, Eimantas Stanionis

Despite 25 months away from the ring, Eimantas Stanionis had too much offensive output for Gabriel Maestre, easily winning a decision. Photo: Ryan Hafey, Premiere Boxing Champions

After being away from the ring for 25 months due to multiple delays, Eimantas Stanionis of Lithuania put on an impressive effort against his former amateur foe Gabriel Maestre of Venezuela to open the pay-per-view card. Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs) and Maestre (6-1-1, 5 KOs) promised an all-action fight, and they delivered one.

After 12 rounds, Stanionis won by an undeniable work rate margin to retain his WBA World (regular) title. Scores read 119-109, 118-100, and 117-111.

“I know I said there would be no ring rust, but of course, it's different once you're in the ring with all the lights,” said Stanionis. “It was very emotional to return to the ring after such a long and frustrating time. It wasn't my best performance. I'll be back next time and better for sure.”

Eimantas Stanionis said he plans to stay much more active after such a long break. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

If not for Maestre's tough chin and determination, Stanionis might have found his way to a TKO win. Maestre, who lost an amateur bout to Stanionis in 2015, was determined to make the most of his opportunity and refused to yield.

“The power shots were the difference,” said Stanionis. “He was just touching me, and I was hitting him with big shots and putting pressure on him all of the time. It was a do-or-die fight for him, and I think he had a good performance, and I was just okay.”

Maestre said Stanionis showed him respect during the bout. “It was a tough fight. It didn’t turn out the way I wanted with the world title, but we gave the fans a show, and, like I said in the press conference, it was a show stealer.”

Maestre said his corner gave him good advice and encouragement throughout the fight. “I’m very appreciative of Coach Salas and my entire team. I’m going to come back stronger. No doubt about it. I’m eager to see what’s next.”

Stanionis said being active is his main priority now. “I was off for two years and in my country of Lithuania where there isn't the best sparring. Next camp, everything is going to be better.”

With Barrios's win, it's likely Stanionis and Barrios will meet in a fight of interim welterweight champions, or perhaps full champions, if current undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford makes the permanent move to super welterweight and relinquishes his titles.